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AMONG THIS WEEK'S NEW SPORTS BOOKS...

Here's a Sports Bookshelf selection of new titles published in the last few days. Keep coming back for more news of new releases. Click on the titles or the picture links for more information and to buy.

Who is The Secret Footballer? The identity of the author of a column under that name carried by the Guardian newspaper for the last 18 months is a secret known to just a handful of people.
But whoever he is - and whoever he plays for - he is always honest, always fearless and always opinionated...and, we are told, absolutely genuine. This story of one player's career is a unique combination of considered analysis, tell-all gossip and the joys and frustrations that only someone who plays the game at the highest levels can really feel. It tells us that, while football is a game we watch, study and digest in fine print detail, on radio, television and the internet, we know very little of what goes on inside the dressing room and even on the pitch, of the lives of those who we study at a distance. The Secret Footballer takes the reader into a world inhabited by sometimes terrifying and sometimes tortured managers, by agents that know every trick in the book, and by teammates ranging from the carefree to the paranoid. The book gives a unique perspective on a shrouded, secret world.

Derek Dougan was a flamboyant striker who scored more than 200 League goals and, as players' union chief and club administrator, was involved in some of professional football's most significant developments of the past 40 years.
David Tossell, author of several acclaimed biographies, had begun working on a collaboration with Dougan when the Ulsterman most famous for his long service to Wolverhampton Wanderers died suddenly from a heart attack in 2007, but decided to continue the project. Tossell has retraced the steps of Dougan's life through an exhaustive series of interviews with teammates, opponents, friends and family members, offering the definitive portrait of one football's most complex and controversial figures.

David Tossell, head of European Public Affairs for the NFL (National Football League), is the author of nine sports books, including biographies of Bertie Mee, Tony Greig and Malcolm Allison.

The Ryder Cup has become an eagerly anticipated feature of the sporting calendar, uniquely pitting the individual stars of the golf world's superpowers -- Europe and the USA -- in a biennial team competition.
With national pride at stake, the top players from both sides of the Atlantic fight for a place on their respective teams, with the team captain shouldered with major responsibility. The TV coverage and audience expectation that goes with each Ryder Cup propels the event to the forefront of sports coverage in the world's press. This beautifully illustrated book tells the full story of this great tournament, from its beginnings in 1927 when Great Britain played the USA for a trophy provided by seed merchant Samuel Ryder. It charts the post-war dominance of the US team, the introduction of European golfers into the GB and Ireland team in the late 1970s, and the titanic, see-saw struggles of the modern day. It looks at each of the Ryder Cups, and features the great players, pairings, captains and courses along the way, creating a definitive official history chronicling the excitement and prestige of this global sporting event.

Robbie Hunter-Paul -- known in his playing days as simply Robbie Paul -- was the marquee player of Bradford Bulls and Rugby League's Super League competition, the inspirational heart of a team who dominated the competition and transformed the sport on and off the pitch.
In 1996, as well as being the youngest captain to lead his team at the famous stadium, he became the first player to score a hat-trick in a Rugby League Challenge Cup final at Wembley. An inspirational leader and proud Maori, who represented his native New Zealand 30 times, Robbie is also a talented artist and musician, a motivational speaker and media commentator. On a journey from humble bush boy to international star, he has come through trials and tribulations and learned from his mistakes and continues to be fearless in trying new ventures. Written in collaboration with rugby league journalist Chris Irvine, Robbie Paul's compelling life story is enhanced by his own High Performance guide to what it takes to be a professional player, offering practical advice aimed at aspiring rugby players, coaches and parents as well as fans of the game.

ITALIAN BACKDROP FOR NEW CRIME NOVEL

Death in the High Cityis a new crime novel set in Bergamo, northern Italy.The novel is the first in a series featuring detective duo Kate Butler, a freelance journalist, and Steve Bartorelli, a retired Detective Chief Inspector who is of Italian descent.

Death in the High City, believed to be the first crime novel in which the beautiful and historic city of Bergamo provides the backdrop, is available from Amazon in paperback and as an e-book.

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HOW TO BUY

ANY of the titles featured on The Sports Bookshelf can be bought from Amazon. Just click on a picture link or on one of the highlighted text links and you will be taken directly to the Amazon site.

Titles, where indicated, can also be purchased from Waterstones or WH Smith.